


Negotiations

by BlueBioluminescence



Category: Daredevil (Comics), Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Demons, Demon!Matt, Foggy and Matt have a deal, Foggy makes bad life choices, This Matt has murderdock vibes, because I like him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25871122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueBioluminescence/pseuds/BlueBioluminescence
Summary: “I wonder what Hell’s Kitchen would think if they ever found out you unleashed the devil in their backyard.”
Relationships: Matt Murdock & Franklin "Foggy" Nelson
Comments: 14
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly this is just a short and sweet little AU idea. If might get flushed out later like some of my stories do or it might not. I really don't know yet but please enjoy!

### Negotiations

Foggy’s mom had wanted him to become a demon hunter but Foggy hadn’t exactly had the disposition for it. After four years of undergraduate learning everything that he could about demons, demonic summoning, and all the ways things would inevitably go bad, he opted to go to law school and specialize in demon negotiations instead. It wasn’t exactly a popular field of study, mostly due to the pretty high death rate, but Foggy had had a plan that he was _pretty_ sure wouldn’t get him killed. Almost sure…

Well, at least right now he was still alive so that had to count for something.

“Well Mrs. Duran,” He sighs as he lightly places a hand over the old woman’s and squeezes it in comfort. “I think that's probably enough for today. It’s getting late and I think we both have enough information from you to start building a contract. Why don’t you head on home and I’ll give you a call tomorrow to go over what we come up with?”

Mrs. Duran nods, sniffling lightly as she collects her tissues and purse. She had been angry earlier when she had come in for his help but it had quickly dissolved into despair. It’s something that he is very familiar with. People usually don’t come to him unless they have nowhere else to turn. Demon contracts are no joke after all, even if Foggy tries to sway things as best he can in his clients favor. 

“Thank you Mister Nelson.” she says softly, meekly, as he shows her to the door. She gives him a hug as she leaves and kisses his cheek. It’s sweet and it made him feel terrible that sweet old women like her are in situations that require his services. 

He sighs and closes the door, pressing his forehead to the wood to try and collect himself once more when a voice from behind him makes him jump. 

“Jesus Matt!” he yells, spinning around to see the demon smiling widely at him, “Can you give a guy a bit of warning. God I need to buy you a damn bell.” He complains for probably the thousandth time as he presses a hand to his pounding heart. “What did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to order dinner in.” He says, his smile firmly planted on his face as he brushes ash away from his bright red suite, “I was thinking Mexican.” 

Foggy groans and runs a hand down his face. “You know, if you waited for me to actually _break_ the salt circle you wouldn’t have to deal with being singed every time a client leaves.”

Matt shrugs and goes to lean himself against the front desk. It was meant to be occupied by a secretary but Foggy hadn’t managed to hire one yet. He’s a little nervous about doing so given...well given _Matt._ “I believe, Mister Nelson, that our agreement was that I stay in the salt circle while our clients are still around. She is gone. Ergo, I am free to wander.” The demon’s smile only grew. 

“I think you just like to stretch your damn powers,” Foggy grumbles, “You egotistical bastard.”

Matt laughs happily at that. “It’s hardly an exercise of my abilities Fogs, are you even _trying_ to contain me anymore?” He purrs teasingly, tilting his head down so he can ‘look’ at Foggy over his glasses. His eyes burn brightly with some kind of eternal flame. Foggy swallows but can’t look away, it's the effect his eyes have on him and Foggy isn’t sure if it has to do with their contract or something else. Whatever it is it makes him _burn._ A warning of exactly what he has gotten into here and the power Matt has over him.

“You know I can’t” Foggy swallows, feeling like he has swallowed a burning coal. “It wouldn’t matter how strong I made my seal, if it’s made by me it will never contain you.”

Matt’s eyes vanish behind his lenses again and Foggy takes a sharp desperate breath, falling back against the door as his legs nearly give out under him. Matt just smiles over at him and it’s warm like the fires of Damnation. 

“I do so love our little deal for that.” Matt says happily as he leans further over the secretary's desk he is resting on, his body twisting in a way that really wasn’t very human, before twisting back up again and brandishing a number of to-go menus in his hands. “So? Dinner?” He offers again and Foggy sighs and tests his legs to see if they are willing to work yet. “We can work more on Mrs. Duran’s contract while we’re eating. I _might_ be willing to forgo her soul if she is willing to give me someone else's instead~” 

“No souls Matt.” Foggy reminds him, really reminds both of them because after Matt’s little power-play Foggy feels the need to reassure himself that _he_ has power in this little contract too. Matt pouts. Foggy ignores it easily and goes up to snatch the menus from Matt’s hands. It's not like Matt can read them anyway. “ _That’s_ part of our contract too, since you seem so _fond_ of reminding me of it tonight.” He grumbles as he starts looking for all the Mexican restaurant menus that they have on hand. 

Matt sighs at that but gives in easily enough. “Fine. The usual then. Borrowed time to three times the extent of what is needed to complete the job.”

“ _If_ you manage to complete the job within a pre-set time constraint,” Foggy pushes in, going directly into negotiating mode as Matt starts up his little thing. He always has to be careful how he talks around Matt when they have a client. He could lose his license if he accidentally agreed to something for his client without their express approval. “She’s old Matt, I’m not letting you steal more time then she has.” 

Matt just shrugs, “It’s not like I need much anyway while I still have you and your contract in me burning away.” he says and Foggy winces. 

“Do you _have_ to word it like that?” He asks, but it’s Matt so he knows he gets a kick out of it. With the way Matt’s grin spreads across his face he knows he’s right. “I hate you so much.”

“Aw Fogs.” Matt says, his hand going up to cover where a heart would be on a human but that Foggy knows Matt doesn’t have, “You wound me. And here I thought what we had was true love.”

“No.” Foggy says slowly, rolling his eyes as Matt’s antics and turning his attention back to the menus, “What we have is a contract. Now shut up and help me decide what we are getting to eat.”

Outside the building a sign reads “Nelson and Murdock” and deep within the essence that is ‘Mathew Murdock’ a contract burns, bright and hot and driving his continued earthly existence. Matt knows he got the best of this deal with Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson, even if Foggy had been smart enough to put a few heavy handed restrictions on it. All he really had to give was Foggy the exclusive rights to negotiate with him and Matt, well, Matt got freedom of movement within Hell’s Kitchen. It is nice to be free like this, to appear wherever he wants, to roam nearly as he wishes. It’s invigorating.

He is still holding out hope though that he might yet get dear Franklin’s soul. After all, he has Foggy’s whole life to trick him out of it.


	2. Summoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt might not be able to negotiate his own contracts, but he sure as hell can kill whoever he wants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it turns out I wrote more. Again. Very short and sweet with protective Matt.
> 
> I just wanted to explore what having a contract with Foggy means physically for Matt~

###  Summoning

When Matt feels the pull of a summoning he assumes that it’s Foggy and doesn’t think twice about answering. Only when he arrives in a puff of flame he is met with three heartbeats, none of which hold the burning of a contract within them, does Matt realize that this isn't his usual deal. He also realizes that he now has a 'usual' deal how...interesting. 

Matt frowns, tilts his head, and idly presses out his cane. The air in front of him crackles to life with the electric surge of a barrier. He could get through it if he really wanted and tried hard enough, but it isn’t one of Foggy’s. He can't just walk out of this one without batting an eye. 

So. He’s been summoned. By someone who wasn’t Foggy. It has certainly been a while.

“You the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen?” One of the heartbeats asks and Matt turns his head in that one’s general direction even as he stretches his senses farther. He can smell the river in the air which means it must be close by. The floor under his feet is wood. It’s dank and it’s damp and smells slightly of mildew. A basement then, a house near the docks. 

“Who is asking?” He prompts and he hears one draw a breath but another voice cuts it off. 

“Don’t go giving your name to a devil you idiot! They can use that against you!”

Matt grins widely. It seems at least one person here knows what they are dealing with. “Well, if I’m not getting names I am going to at least need to know why I’ve been summoned. I’m not a big fan of simply standing around.” he comments, hitting the barrier again to show his point. 

“We want a deal.” the first speaker says. “We need you to find someone.” 

Matt hums at this, as if thinking it over, even brings a finger to his chin and taps it for show. “Find someone. Well, I can certainly do that easily enough. What-” he starts but then Foggy’s contract flares sharp and bright within his very being and he hears the men around him gasp even as Matt’s own voice is lost to him for a long moment. When he is finally able to open his mouth again he breathes out a large cloud of smoke. 

“Sorry about that.” He smiles, feeling more smoke seep out from between his teeth, “Just a contract acting up. Please ignore it.” He laughs but the men don’t seem convinced if their heartbeats are anything to go on. “Either Way. I can track someone down for you without issue.” he tells them as he digs into his suit pocket and pulls out a business card, “But I’m afraid if you want to make a deal with me you are going to have to go through my negotiator. But don’t worry,” He smiles like a shark, “He can be very discreet.”

“What?” One man manages to sputter out, “Since when do demons have personal negotiators?! We can’t afford that!” the man complains and Matt tilts his head again, taking in the people in front of him.  _ Truth _ his Sense automatically supplies, but he has a feeling I these men are working for someone else that can afford Foggy just fine. 

“Well, if you don’t want to go through my lawyer then I can’t help you.” he tells them with a sad sigh, a shrug of his shoulders, and a shake of his head. “I take it you wouldn’t have summoned me if you didn’t think the person you are looking for is in Hell’s Kitchen, in which case you are shit out of luck.  _ But -  _ and I'm giving you this for free because I am  _ such _ a nice guy” he purrs even though that is not true, Foggy’s contract wouldn’t allow him to charge them for this. “If you think the person you are looking for has left Hell’s Kitchen then just go a few blocks to someone else's jurisdiction. I’m sure they will be happy to cut a deal with you. Otherwise, well,” He taps the card before putting it down on the ground between his feet, “You know how to get a hold of me.” and vanishes. 

———

He is summoned again the next day and he appears in the far more familiar location of his and Foggy’s shared offices. He smiles widely before hesitating as he realizes that he can sense  _ heat _ on Foggy’s cheek. Not from a blush, no, but from a  _ bruise. _

His smile quickly turns into a grinding of teeth as his hands clench on his cane. 

“Foggy,” He purrs in greeting, keeping up appearances even as he feels fire lashing at his feet from his anger. “Do we have a client?” 

“Three actually.” Foggy replies from outside of the circle. A circle drawn by Foggy that can not contain him. Beside him the three heartbeats from the night before have picked up slightly in tempo but Matt can only imagine that their faces are  _ smug. _ “They were  _ very _ insistent.” Foggy adds as if Matt needed the confirmation that they had strong armed him into this.

Matt turns his attention to the three men. “I remember you from last night.” He says, contemplative, “You wanted me to find someone didn’t you?”

“Ya. Someone has been going around killing our men. We want you to find out who.” One of the men speaks and Matt grin goes  _ wide.  _ Oh. They are part of _that_ group.  


He hears Foggy backing away very very carefully.

“Is that all?” Matt purrs as he moves close to the barrier. It’s crackles at his approach and his hands start to transform into claws, “Well that I can give you that for  free. I killed them.”  He laughs as he steps over the barrier with barely a singe to his clothes. Foggy hadn't tried very hard to contain him this time. The men's heartbeats jump in fear as they start scrambling away. “so I suggest you  _ run _ .” 

They didn’t even make it to the door.


	3. Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy should know better then to let a Blessed into his and Matt's offices.

### Visitors

The two white women that arrive at Foggy’s office that morning are, frankly, terrifying and Foggy has to hold back from slamming the door in their face and activating some heavy duty wards just in case.

Instead he forces himself to smile widely and go “ladies! What can I help you with this fine morning?”

The black haired one pushes her way upfront and holds out a slightly singed and crumpled business card. It’s the one Matt gives out to people when they summon him outside of Foggy and his deal. Foggy looks at it, looks at the woman, and feels apprehension growing in his stomach as he remembers the last set of people to provide him with that card.

Still, a client is a client and if Matt has given them his card then that means he at least want to hear these women out. So Foggy ushers them in and moves to uncover the summoning circle in the conference room. “You’re going to have to give me a moment.” He tells them, trying for conversational and not terrified. “I just got in and haven’t had a chance to set up yet. You um, want any coffee? Tea? There is a small kitchen over there.” He says, pointing as he starts to light the needed candles and incense. He hears at least one of the women rummaging through the kitchen as he goes around inspecting his circle, making sure it’s undamaged and still usable as he does every morning. It’s a task that takes time but Foggy has seen the pictures they use to scare undergraduates and he really doesn’t want to end up on one of his old professor's lecture slides. 

So he takes his time, makes sure he is doing everything right, and forces himself to ignore the eyes drilling into the back of his head as he works.

———

It’s half an hour later when Foggy can finally do the summoning but he still insists on sitting down with the two women before hand and hashing out exactly what they are here for and if it’s even worth bringing Matt into this. 

The blond haired woman does most of the talking, introduces herself as Trish and explains they are just there for some information. She goes on to explain, calmly and in a friendly tone, that Jessica is a private investigator and an important case has run dry on leads, so they are turning to _supernatural_ help in picking back up the case.

Foggy frowns through the explanation, tapping his pen in thought as he listens, before sighing and nodding. “Alright. It’s the kind of deal he would probably be willing to take.” Foggy admits, because this really is right up Matt’s alley, “so I’ll go ahead with the summons. Before I do that though I need to go over the rules of the summoning and the negotiations with you and I’m going to have to ask you to sign a few documents stating that I went over the risks and the steps of the summoning.”

Trish nods in understanding and is attentive during Foggy’s explanation but Jessica is grinding her teeth through the whole thing, looking like she would rather just take Foggy out and do the summoning herself. Foggy is almost certain she could do it too which he forces himself not to think about and just talks faster. They both sign the paperwork after everything is said and done and Foggy stands up and sets to work.

Matt appears in a roar of fire facing slightly away from them as soon as Foggy finishes the summoning and it takes him a moment, like usual, for him to correct and turn to face Foggy. “Foggy~” he purrs in greeting like he always does when Foggy calls on him, his eyes flashing bright behind his glasses, “to what do-“ he starts before freezing, going completely tense, and then-

Matt hisses and leaps backwards in the circle, his back hitting the edge of the salt ring with a sizzling noise and Foggy is worried for a second that Matt will accidentally break out of it in front of a client but he manages to correct himself turning a terrifying look on Foggy. “You’ve brought a _blessed here_ ?!” He growls, angry and literally spitting fire through his suddenly sharp teeth, “Foggy you summoned me into the presence of a _blessed!”_

Which, ya, okay, that explains the weird feeling he is getting off of this woman.

“I-I- Matt, I had no idea! S-she had your calling card!” Foggy tries to defend himself, feeling the blood drain from his face because there is a damn good chance that he just got Matt _killed,_ “I thought-“

But he is cut off by the black haired woman pushing her way up front and shoving Foggy aside. Matt’s expression turns automatically to her, getting more demonic by the second as horns start to sprout and curl out from his head.

“I’m not hear because of my damn blessing!” The woman growls at him through the barrier and Matt looks ready to rip her throat out. “I’m here for information and _you_ are going to give it to me. Free of charge.”

“Now hold on a second-“ Foggy starts, already moving to try and undo the summoning before Matt gets hurt, but the other woman moves to stop him, putting a warning hand on his shoulder. Foggy turns to look at her and he is pretty sure he can take her if he has to but she isn’t looking at him like she plans to hurt him, rather she is giving Foggy a pleading look and whispering. “Please. We won’t hurt him. Just let her talk.”

Foggy swallows nervously.

He turns his attention back to Matt in time to see him rip off his glasses to fully inspect the woman with his Sight. Matt’s unseeing eyes dart around the general vicinity of where this apparently blessed woman stands and Foggy feels his breath hitch as Matt’s face crumples in confusion.

“You’re soulless.” He says suddenly, the fire at his feet getting a little lower as he does, his expression turning to confusion from one of a caged animal ready to bite. “How are you soulless _and_ blessed?” He asks, distraught and upset, his eyes continuing to dance around the woman. Matt has tried to explain his Sight to Foggy before, how it lets him observe the souls of those around him, a world of fire he had said. Foggy wonders what he is seeing now all Foggy sees is a human. 

“Ya.” Jessica says, also looking a little calmer now that Matt seems more interested. “Ya I am and I’m looking for the demon who’s got it and _you_ are going to help me find him.”

Matt tilts his head slightly at that but his expression is almost human again as he places his glasses back on his face. “You plan to get your soul back from him?” Matt inquires and Foggy feels Trish let go of his arm. He hadn’t even realized she was still holding him.

“I could give two shits about my soul. Hell _you_ can have it if you want after this is all done,” she says and Foggy doesn’t dare cut in to tell her _no way,_ “all I care about is finding his ass and _ripping his head off.”_

Foggy is terrified at the heat behind those words but Matt, damn him, looks _intrigued._

“And what, exactly, is this demon's name?” He asks, tapping a cane gently against the ground.

“Kilgrave. That’s the only name he gave me.” She says and Matt _tenses_ his whole body turns from Jessica in an instant and Foggy has to keep himself from jumping back as Matt is suddenly turned towards _him_ instead. 

“Matt?” He asks, hesitantly terrified at the blank look Matt has turned on him, the way he seems to be taking in everything that Foggy _is_ , especially when Foggy has no idea why Matt has done it. 

But Matt doesn’t answer, simply stays silent for a long long moment before turning back to Jessica. “You think he is in Hell’s Kitchen?” He demands and it hard and clipped.

“Last we heard ya. At the very least he is in New York.” Jessica confirms and Foggy watches Matt’s lips thin and his hands tighten on his cane, wringing it.

“I will help you.” He finally says, “but it won’t be for free and, no, I don’t want your already damned soul.” He says, he is tense, his expression still hard and unforgiving in a way that Foggy has never seen before. Whatever this is, whoever this Kilgrave demon is, Matt is completely serious.

“What do you want then?” Jessica finally asks, and it's apparently her turn to look curious.

“Foggy’s safety.” Matt demands and Foggy feels his blood run cold. 

“Matt-“ Foggy tries to say but Matt is already pushing on.

“Zebediah is not a demon to mess with,” he says, hissing the name through his teeth, “but I dislike him enough to help, especially if he is encroaching on my territory. But if he knows I am taking this contract he _will_ find me, he _will_ find Foggy, and he will _kill him_ . Do you understand? I take this contract, I help you track him down, and you _kill him_ before he gets his hands on Foggy.” Matt hisses. Jessica seems genuinely surprised by this, her eyes darting up and down Matt’s form before jumping to Foggy just for a moment before going back.

“I’ve got someone who can keep him safe. An angel. The one who blessed me. He can keep him safe until all of this is over.”

Matt nods stiffly behind the barrier and turns his head back in Foggy’s direction. “Write up the contract. I want to get started on this immediately.”


End file.
